Verbena plant named ‘Duempflavibu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Duempflavibu’, characterized by its semi-upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and large dark violet to violet blue-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane in mounded umbels.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEMPFLAVIBU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Duempflavibu’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new semi-upright Verbena plants withnumerous large and attractive flowers.

The new Verbena plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Verbena hybrida identified as code number V07-3913-011, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbenahybrida identified as code number V02-2415-001, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2010has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duempflavibu’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Duempflavibu’ as a new and distinct Verbenaplant:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large dark violet to violet blue-colored flowers that are        held above and beyond the foliar plane in mounded umbels.

Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the female parentselection primarily in branching habit as plants of the new Verbena aremore freely branching than plants of the female parent selection. Inaddition, plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selectiondiffer slightly in flower color.

Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the male parentselection primarily in growth habit as plants of the new Verbena aremore vigorous than plants of the male parent selection. In addition,plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection differ slightlyin flower color.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbenahybrida ‘Duefarburg’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,924. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of thenew Verbena differed primarily from plants of ‘Duefarburg’ in flowercolor as plants of ‘Duefarburg’ had red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Duempflavibu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the summerin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices which closely approximate commercial Verbena production.During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one timeabout three weeks after planting and were ten weeks old when thephotograph and the description were taken. In the description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Duempflavibu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number V07-3913-001, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena            hybrida identified as code number V02-2415-001, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at about 20°            C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at about            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Semi-upright and mounded plant habit; freely            branching habit with about three to six primary lateral            branches with secondary lateral branches potentially forming            at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch development;            dense and bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 22 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Close to 146B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Lobed.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, coarse.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to 147C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in            hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and mounding;            numerous umbels covering the entire plant; flowers face            upward or outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 14 to            24 flowers and flower buds per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            the spring through the fall in Germany; plants begin            flowering about eight weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Shape: Oval to tubular. Color: Close to 77A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 5.5            cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted. Diameter: About 2.2 cm. Depth: About 2.2 cm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal lobe length: About 1.2 cm. Petal lobe width: About            9 mm. Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex:            Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 83A. When opening, lower surface: Close to            81A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 83A to 83B; color            becoming violet blue, closer to 93A, with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 81A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused            sepals. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal width: About            0.8 mm. Sepal shape: Ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent, coarse. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 146A and 144C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:            About four to five per flower, adnate to corolla tube.            Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.7 mm. Anther            color: Close to 7B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 1.6 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 144A. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color:            Close to 144D. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Fruits and seeds:            Fruit and seed development has not been observed on plants            of the new Verbena.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Duempflavibu’as illustrated and described.